Friday, July 5th
Day 69
Any time we look into the newspapers, or into our own hearts, and despair, we do well to remember that God’s people have faced similar prospects, similar reversals, similar headlines, similar assaults on faith, and have recovered from the doubt, been rescued from the pessimism and foreboding, and gone on to live in praise of God.
-Eugene H. Peterson
Keep the faith!
Thursday, July 4th
Day 68
The Constitution of the United States of America was ratified in 1788, went into effect on March 4, 1789, and has held for 235 years and 4 months and lest we forget, it was not an easy process. There was disagreement then just as there is disagreement now. Life is messy and people are people. We make mistakes but hopefully we learn from those mistakes and go forward to use the lessons learned.
Let us remember the words of Benjamin Franklin as he spoke of the work that went into forming this document. He didn’t claim it was perfect but believed it was necessary to the government of this new nation that God had brought forth.
I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that, the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others.
In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government, but what may be a blessing to the people is well administered; and believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government.
-Benjamin Franklin, September 17, 1787
The Constitutional Convention: A Day By Day Account For September 1787
On this day when we celebrate our nation and all it stands for let us remember that the work continues and we are called to pray for our country and choose leaders who stand for what is honest, good and true. And in the end each of us will be held responsible for our own actions – did we follow God or follow the culture?
Lord, I pray for this nation, a nation like no other, where people come seeking freedom, freedom to work for a better life, freedom to worship as they choose, freedom to live up to their potential. I have been praying for this nation for a ling time because I have been worried for the future of America. But Lord I have learned to trust You, to trust in Your plan. You brought this nation into being. You will preserve it or You will allow it to destroy itself. You will not force us to choose Your way but You will not bless us when we go our own way. Whatever the outcome – I choose to serve You, to trust You.
I still remain faithful in prayer for my country. I pray that her people will recognize what a gift freedom is. I pray that they will come to know the “SOURCE” of our freedom – for to be free in Christ is to be free indeed.
Wednesday, July 3rd
Day 67
-some things we will never understand . . .
Sometimes it is imperative simply to rest in what is happening today and not worry about the future – or about comprehending the reasons for the way things are . . .
Blessedness is indeed promised to those who seek the Lord, but the key lies in the seeking.
That means to study and pray, to search and wait, to worship and serve – even to be tested, to struggle and suffer.
Such disciplines of mind and spirit are often hard . . .
In those times especially we are invited to cling to this promise:
“Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
In believing that statement to be true we find the contentment to accept whatever blessings are or are not in our lives . . .
Sometimes we will be able to taste and see how good God is, but true maturity of faith will recognize His love even though from a human perspective we might lack good things.
-Marva J. Dawn – I’m Lonely Lord
Lord, the habits formed over 55 years are hard to break.
I find myself hurrying home – and then remember – he isn’t here.
I miss him so.
I thank You for filling the empty place in my heart.
I thank You for the music that soothes my hurt.
I thank You!
July 2nd – Day 66
Hear me when I call,
O God of my righteousness:
Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;
Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1 KJV
Answer me when I call to You,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
Be merciful unto me and hear my prayer.
NIV
“I have been driven many times to my knees
by the overwhelming conviction that I have nowhere else to go.
My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.”
-Abraham Lincoln
Lord, You always hear my cry.
You comfort me.
You heal my heart.
You lift my spirit.
You restore my soul.
Monday, July 1st
Day 65
Luke 1:45
And blessed is she that believed:
for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
KJV
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!
NIV
Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!
The Message
Lord, I believe, help me my unbelief.
Sunday, June 30th
Day 64
And it came to pass after many days,
that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year,
saying,
Go, show thyself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
I Kings 18:1
-for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:45b
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:18
It is 4 a.m. and I am listening to the rumble of thunder and the sound of the rain hitting the windows and I am thanking God for sending the rain!
What a beautiful sound it is, especially when it has been so dry.
Thank You, God !
O God, teach me to see You, and reveal Yourself to me when I seek You . . .
Let me seek You in longing, and long for You in seeking.
Let me find You in love, and love You in finding.
-Ambrose of Milan, 339-397
Saturday, June 29th
Day 63
There is a prevalent idea that the power of God in a human life
should lift us above all trials and conflicts.
The fact is,
the power of God always brings a conflict and a struggle.
God has nothing worth having that is easy.
There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market.
Our redemption cost all that God had to give,
and everything worth having is expensive.
Hard places are the very school of faith and character,
and if we are to rise over mere human strength
and prove the power of life divine in these mortal bodies,
it must be through a process of conflict
that may well be called the birth travail of a new life.
-Streams In The Desert
Lord, You never promised life would be easy but it will be worth it!
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase.
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.
-Esther K. Rusthoi
Friday, June 28th
Day 62
Lord, Is it always going to feel this fresh?
How could anyone go through this without You?
I refuse to listen to Satan’s lies because GREATER IS HE THAT IS WITHIN ME!
Lord, You are greater.
You defeated death on the cross.
The battle is won.
The irritations of yesterday are just that – irritations – not catastrophes.
In this world I will have trouble but You have overcome the world!
Thursday, June 27th
Day 61
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shem,
and called the name of it Ebenezer,
saying,
Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
I Samuel 7:12
Come, Thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Here, I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Lord, You planted these hymns of the faith deep in my soul years ago and they have born fruit.
They are bearing fruit this day.
You bring to my mind just what I need to hear – just when I need to hear it – and I praise You!
No distant Lord have I,
Loving afar to be;
Made flesh for me, He cannot rest
Until He rests in me.
Brother in joy or pain,
Bone of my bone was He;
Now – intimacy closer still –
He dwells Himself in me.
I need not journey far,
This dearest Friend to see;
Companionship is always mine,
He makes His home with me.
-Maltbie D. Babcock
-Springs in The Valley
Wednesday, June 26th
Day 60
Have you come to the Red Sea place in your life,
Where in spite of all you can do,
There is no way out, there is no way back,
There is no other way but through?
Then wait on the Lord with a trust serene
Till the night of your fear is gone;
He will send the wind, He will heap the floods,
When He says to your soul, “Go on.”
And His hand will lead you through – clear through –
Ere the watery walls roll down,
No foe can reach you, no wave can touch,
No mightiest sea can drown;
The tossing billows may rear their crests,
Their foam at your feet may break,
But over their bed you shall walk dry shod
In the path that your Lord will make.
In the morning watch, ‘neath the lifted cloud,
You shall see but the Lord alone,
When He leads you on from the place of the sea
To a land that you have not known;
And your fears shall pass as your foes have passed,
You shall be no more afraid;
You shall sing His praise in a better place,
A place that His hand has made.
-Annie Johnson Flint
-Streams In The Desert
Lord, this is where I am – 60 days on this journey –
There is no way out, there is no way back,
There is no other way but through!
All that I can do is go where You lead me.
And so I trust.
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